


this is your family

by LiteraLi



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Light Angst, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-16
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:48:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21651763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiteraLi/pseuds/LiteraLi
Summary: Oliver left his wife and baby girl to go save the universe, but he made sure they wouldn't be alone......back in the cabin with Mia, Felicity receives a series of visitors.(This will be a series of one-shots where different friends and family members visit Felicity and Mia at the cabin, taking place during season 8.)
Relationships: Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Comments: 18
Kudos: 116





	1. Donna

**Author's Note:**

> I find it funny that while Felicity and Mia are in hiding to keep her existence a secret, Oliver has been traveling the globe, telling everyone he knows about his baby (or grown!) daughter in almost every episode. In my headcanon, he also arranges for them to visit Felicity so she wont be all alone...
> 
> Obviously the idea of Felicity alone in the cabin, knowing Oliver's fate, is an angsty one. However, I tried to make these a bit more light and funny... because we could use it with the crazy rollercoaster of emotions this season is bringing us!
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

After Oliver left with the Monitor, Felicity could not fathom how she would ever find the strength to get up off the floor where she had crumpled. But then Mia cried out for her, and she stood to care for daughter. She can’t remember what she had cried for - food, or a diaper change, or maybe even for her father - but it had jolted Felicity out of her despair. She could not break, not now, not when her tiny baby girl was counting on her and her alone. And so was her husband; she knew she could not break her promise to him to care for their children, and to find him. So she cared for Mia, and in between she searched for her husband and finally found him on another earth. She sent John after him so he wouldn’t be alone.

But little did she know, that Oliver had made, and continued to make, on what may be his very last mission, calls and plans of his own. Ensuring that Felicity wouldn’t be alone either. He reached out to friends and family and made sure they took care of his wife and daughter.

The first visitor arrived just days after Oliver’s departure...

* * *

The doorbell rings and Felicity jumps at the rarely heard sound, and instinctively looks over at the baby monitor to check on Mia. Still asleep in her crib, luckily.

She glances over at the screen on her tablet to confirm what Lyla had told her - kind of hoping deep down that she had more time before having to face this - and lays her eyes on the sight of Donna Smoak. Her mother is clad in a velvet tracksuit ( _more convenient for travel than a cocktail dress, at least_ , Felicity muses), and she is standing near a pile of luggage that Felicity can only hope means she over-packed and not that she is planning on moving in with them forever.

She rushes to open the door before her mother can ring the bell a second time. A sound that will most probably wake the baby. 

The baby that her mother knows nothing about.

Oh, well, that’s about to change real soon. Felicity is not sure she has the means to deal with her mother’s reaction to the news that she’s a grandmother...of a three-month old baby. She’d always figured Oliver would be there when they explained everything to her mom. When Lyla had called to tell her that Oliver had asked her to make arrangements for her mother to visit, Felicity had first sobbed in relief. If there was ever a time a girl needed her mother… But then she had realized that in going off to save the universe, Oliver had also escaped facing her mother’s wrath.

And left her to do it all on her own. 

Taking one last deep breath of resolve, Felicity opens the door. And is immediately engulfed in her mother’s arms.

Felicity had cried herself to sleep the past few nights, sometimes with Mia joining in with her own wails. One’s husband leaving to save the multiverse form impending doom, mixed with postnatal hormones, does not paint a very pretty picture. But for the most part, Felicity had been keeping it together during the day. The moment her mother enters the cabin and embraces her, however, all the tears she’s been fighting to keep at bay spill out.

“Oh, baby girl, it’s okay, Mom’s here now, I got you…” Donna strokes her hair and whispers calming words, words Felicity tells her own daughter, and hadn’t realized until now how much she needed to hear them too.

Eventually, Felicity and her mother make it over to the couch, where she fills her mom in on everything that had happened leading up to Oliver’s leaving. She can’t believe it’s been so long since she’s seen her mother in person - she and Oliver had visited her out in Vegas last winter break when things had been quiet enough that they could take a short vacation (a trip that Mia had been conceived on) - and there’s so much to fill her in on.

Her mom, however, seems quite unmoved at the fact that Felicity has just told her that her husband has been informed by a god-like being that he is destined to die in just a few short months.

“Mom?” Felicity urges, “I was expecting you to be a bit more... _upset_ , maybe?”

“I’m sorry, hon,” Donna looks apologetic, “it’s just that ever since I found out that you were working for the Green Arrow, and then _married_ to the Green Arrow, I have seen you and Oliver survive endless situations I never thought possible. After everything you’ve been through, I don’t understand why you’re just taking this _being’s_ word for it that the entire universe is doomed and Oliver is going to die? I’m sorry but I don’t believe it.”

Felicity exhales in surprise. Maybe her mother does have a point, though. What do they know about this Monitor, anyway? She makes a note to look into it further.

“Really, though, what I don’t understand,” Donna continues, “is why you’re hiding out here. I get that Oliver’s dead, evil, half-sister threatened you...but last year when Diaz was after you didn’t stay in hiding once you knew William was safe at school. Why aren’t you back in Star City, hon, working out of your secret lair?”

Felicity chuckles at her mom’s description of the bunker. And realizes that it’s time to come clean now. “Actually, Mom,” she starts, “it’s interesting that you should mention William-”

“Oh! Is he here too? I should have asked!” Her mother is genuinely excited, and she looks around, hoping to see him. The sight warms Felicity’s heart, she loves that her mom has been so accepting of her stepson and loves him as much as she does. “I thought he was with his grandparents-”

“No, Mom, he is still living with his grandparents, unfortunately. However, there _is_ someone else I want you to meet.”

“Wha-” Donna’s face morphs into one of confusion. “Who-?” She tilts her head in question.

“Be right back!” Felicity jumps up off the couch, gives a little flick of her index finger to indicate that she needs a minute and rushes off towards the nursery before her mom can ask anything else.

Felicity enters the green-painted room quickly but quietly. Her newly attuned Mia-clock, as well as a dull ache in her breast, tells her that the baby should be waking up soon, but she doesn’t want to startle her. She peers over the edge of the crib, and just as expected, finds Mia looking back up at her, slowly blinking awake.

“Hi baby,” she breathes, leaning down to pick her up, and peppering her face with kisses as she settles the little girl in her arms, “I hope you had a good nap because you’re going to need your strength for this meeting. Come on, I’ve got someone special who’s going to be _very_ excited to meet you!” She carries the baby out towards the living room.

“Mom, this is Mia,” Felicity announces as she turns the corner, where her mother still sits on the couch, bewildered.

“Oh my god!” Donna shoots up and makes a beeline for her daughter and child.

_That was a lot less loud than I-_

“OH MY GOD!” 

_-and there it is!_

The shriek her mother lets out has only been beat that time she found the ring Oliver was planning to propose with.

“Is that-

“A baby- 

“Is she- 

“How- 

“I didn’t- 

“When- 

“Felicity!” Her mother is almost hysterical with shock, her eyes keep flicking from Mia to Felicity and back, and her face is demanding answers.

“Yes, this is a baby,” Felicity starts slowly, trying to calmly explain to her mother, although she can’t help but be amused at her reaction, “mine and Oliver’s baby. She’s a girl and her name is Mia. We named her after Oliver’s mother. She’s three months old and I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner but I can explain. You’re a grandmother! Surprise!” She ends with a huge beam and holds Mia out to her mother with a flourish.

“I think I need to sit down.” Donna gasps, and does just that. Then, a moment later, apparently recovered, she reaches out her arms towards Felicity, “Can I hold my grand-baby?”

Felicity grins and places Mia gently into her grandmother’s waiting arms. “I’ve been looking forward to sharing this with you for a long time,” she tells her mother, who gazes upon the baby with rapt attention.

“Hi Mia,” Donna speaks so softly that Felicity can hardly believe the same voice was screeching so loudly just moments ago. “I’m your Grandma! Oh, that makes me sound so old! What do you think, Felicity?”

“Hmm?”

“Don’t you think I’m too young to be called Grandma? What do you think about...Glamma? Or Gramadonna? Get it?” She looks at Felicity excitedly, who winces. _Gramadonna?!_

“I don’t know, Mom...but you have some time before she starts talking to figure it out.” Felicity figures she can cut her mother a bit of slack at the moment; it’s the least she can do after keeping her granddaughter a secret until now. _But don’t worry baby, I’ll make sure the word ‘Glamma’ or ‘Gramadonna’ is never uttered from either of our lips!_

Felicity melts as she watches her mother soak up every inch of her grand-baby; caressing her soft cheeks, covering every inch of her with kisses. Mia is utterly delighted at the attention, smiling and gurgling at the two women, who grin back at her in return.

“She looks just like you did when you were a baby,” Donna murmurs, giving Mia a little bop on the nose that causes her to giggle.

“Really?” Felicity is genuinely surprised, “All I see when I look at her is Oliver.”

“That makes sense,” Donna smiles sympathetically at her daughter, “and she _does_ look like him, too. She had her Daddy’s smile, don’t you, Mia, hon? And his eyes, too. Maybe not the color, exactly, but the same shape and intent.” _The broodiness_ , Felicity can’t help but agree. “But the rest of her is all _you_ , baby girl. Her chubby little face, her lips, her nose, her hair, and her personality, too, I would say. She’s going to grow up to be one beautiful young lady. When I get home I’m going to find all the baby pictures I have and show you!”

“Thanks, Mom. I’d like that.”

After a while longer of being loved on by her grandmother, Mia starts to fuss and Felicity takes her to change her diaper and feed her. As she settles in to nurse, she fills her mother in on the highlights of the past year, her pregnancy and the beginning of Mia’s life. Her mother seems to understand now why they had kept the baby a secret from her until now- to keep her safe.

Mia finishes feeding, her eyes glazed over in what Oliver liked to refer to as her milk-drunk state. Felicity caresses her daughter’s soft head of hair and asks her mom if she’d like to burp her. Donna accepts eagerly.

“You know,” Donna starts, lightly tapping on Mia’s back to get her to burp, “back when you were a baby, they told us all formula was the best. And I think you turned out just fine!”

“Mom…” Felicity sighs. _And just when I was thinking how happy I was to have her here._ “Please don’t-”

“Sorry, sorry! It’s your baby, your decision, I know. I’m a mother, we nag, it’s in our nature, you’ll see. I’m going to try and be better but I have about nine months to make up for it so you’ll just have to bear with me while I adjust…” She continues to pat the baby and Mia lets out quite a loud burp. “Good job, sweetie!”

“Yeah, okay, Mom,” Felicity admits defeat, wondering just how long the ‘adjustment period’ will last. She’s still hasn’t heard the last of her mother’s complaints about the elopement; she can only hope her mother will forgive her for the ‘you have a three-month-old granddaughter!’ surprise before Mia is a full fledged adult.

“No more comments about how you choose to feed her, I swear. But please just tell me you at least gave her a Hebrew name.” Donna moves the baby from where she was perched against her shoulder and sits her on her lap, as she gives her daughter a pointed look.

It seems like her mother isn’t going to let up with the guilt-trips any time soon. And Felicity just knows she’s going to use the opportunity to bring up the -

“I know, with the wedding, it was a romantic, spur of the moment thing and you had no time to find a _chuppah_ …” Yup, there it is. 

“Mom, please, am I ever going to live that one down?” She pleads, wishing for the hundredth time that Oliver was with her, but this time so she doesn’t have to be subject to the Jewish-mother infliction of guilt all alone. _Oh no,_ she thought, I’m _a Jewish mother now! Sorry, baby girl._

“But in the end, a wedding is a one time event.” Her mother continues on as if Felicity hasn’t even said anything. “A once-in-a-lifetime - if you’re lucky - event that I wasn’t invited to, but still, it’s a one day thing. So, okay, you didn’t have a _chuppah_. But a name, on the other hand, that stays with you your whole life. I bet it’s not too late to call Rabbi-”

“Mom!” Felicity finally shouts, cutting Donna off. She winces when her loud voice causes Mia to startle and runs her hand up and down the baby’s chubby arms. “Sorry, Mia, Mommy didn’t mean to shout,” she coos at the baby, and then addresses her mom, “Mom, Mia _is_ a Hebrew name. I mean, we chose it because it’s short for Moira, but it also means something in Hebrew.”

“Are you sure? I mean, back in my day, Jewish girls had traditional Hebrew names, like Sarah, Rachel, Leah…”

“Yeah, Mom, I’m pretty sure I know what my daughter’s name means,” Felicity huffs, “You can Google it later if you don’t believe me. It actually translates to ‘from God’.”

“No, no, I believe you,” Donna reassures, now appeased, “ _From God._ What a fitting name for this precious girl. Who’s Grandma’s little angel? Who’s the promised child? That’s right, Mia, you are!” Felicity can’t stay mad for long, not while watching this scene; her mom making big gestures and exaggerated facial expressions, which have Mia completely enthralled and smiling up at her.

And she’s right. It _is_ a fitting name for her and Oliver’s child. Ever since they found out about her, there was just such a sense of _completion_ , like she was _meant to be_ with them, to be theirs. And what was it the Monitor said? The universe _needed her_ . The thought is _mind-blowing_ , and downright _terrifying_ , if she dwells on it, but it also just seems _right_. Their daughter, destined for greatness.

“Actually,” Felicity voices, “I also did pick a more, _traditional_ , Hebrew name for her middle name.”

“Oh?”

“Malka.” She pauses and waits for her mother’s reaction.

“Oh, _Felicity_ ,” Donna’s eyes tear up as the name registers, “After my-”

“After Bubbe, yes.” Felicity’s Bubbe Malka - Donna’s mother - had passed away when Felicity was still in school. And she wanted her daughter to carry the name of a strong, confident woman who had endured the worst cruelty known to mankind and yet survived. As well as-

“It also means ‘queen’. I know, it seems redundant, but...if Mia ends up not being able to use Oliver’s last name, I at least want her to have ‘Queen’ in her name, somehow…” Felicity smiles sadly, and moves her finger so that Mia can grasp it, which she does, with quite a strong grip.

“It’s beautiful, honey. I’m honored. Bubbe would be so proud of you. _I’m_ proud of you. You’re going to be an amazing mother and you’re going to get through this.” Donna uses the hand not holding Mia to rub Felicity’s shoulder.

“Thanks, Mom,” Felicity murmurs, eyes watery. She’s morose again, mind wandering to Oliver and where he might be, the fate that awaits him...until her mother manages yet again to distract her-

“Oh my goodness! Are those little ears on Mia’s hoodie?!” The glee in Donna’s voice is unmistakable.

Felicity can’t help but chuckle. “Yeah, Mom. Oliver picked it out. Believe it or not, he actually listened to all the embarrassing stories you told him about-”

“-Mr. Squarebear!” Donna squeals.

“Exactly. He was so excited when he found this, I think we have it in every color and size imaginable. Whenever he dressed her, he would put her in one and call her his Mia-Bear.”

Donna has proceeded to pull the hood up, so that she can get the full ‘Mia-Bear’ effect. Felicity gushes with her mom over the cuteness and places a kiss on her little bear’s nose.

“He really is the best daddy, isn’t he?” Donna echoes her words from over three years ago.

“He really is.”


	2. Lyla

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken me a while to update - Crisis was taking up all my time - but I'm back with chapter two!  
> So my idea going into this was to sort of have this tie into the episodes and have one person who finds out about Mia in that episode visit Felicity afterwards. Technically, in 8x02 Tatsu is told about Oliver's children, plural, but I didn't think her visiting would be as impactful.  
> So, here's Mia meeting her Aunt Lyla! Takes place at the beginning of 8x02.  
> This one is on the shorter side, because I was anxious to get to our visitor for episode/chapter 3, and I think you all know who that is ;)  
> Happy reading!

“Hey, Lyla!” Felicity welcomes her friend inside the cabin excitedly, more than eager to interact with another adult who is not her mother. “Thank goodness you’re here!”

“Hi, Felicity,” Lyla gives Felicity a quick hug, “Sorry I couldn’t make it here sooner...after everything. I was figuring out transportation for Johnny, and then for your mom. But I was finally able to find a sitter for JJ so I could stop by in person.”

“No need to apologize, Lyla. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for us,” Felicity leads her friend into the living space, which is somehow even more cluttered with baby supplies since her mother’s arrival last week. She barely waits until they sit down to ask-

“Have you heard from John?”

“Not directly, no,” Lyla cuts straight to the point, something Felicity loves about her, “But I happen to know they’re in-”

“-Hong Kong,” Felicity finishes for her.

“How did you…?” Lyla looks surprised at first but quickly recovers, shaking her head with a smirk, “Never mind, I’ve learned not to ask. I might as well just give you access to AGRUS’ servers at this point.”

“Oh, no, but that would make it so much less fun!” Felicity protests. Seriously, sometimes she needs the stimulation after spending the whole day using baby talk with Mia (and having her mom as the only other adult to talk to).

Amused, Lyla continues, “Anyway, yes, apparently Johnny has been using my name to get him favors over there. I’m flying out in a few hours, and I’ll make sure to keep you updated about Oliver, but I wanted to stop by, see how you’re holding up.”

Felicity debates how best to address her friend’s concern. She decides to go with the truth. “I’m...doing the best I can, considering. I’m trying not to dwell on what the Monitor said and things I can’t control…”

Felicity pauses; for a second it looked like her friend had reacted strangely -  _ tensed up? _ \- when she mentioned the Monitor. But Lyla doesn’t say or do anything else, so Felicity continues.

“...I’m trying to focus on what I  _ can  _ do - track Oliver’s whereabouts, keep him safe, whatever I can do from here. And take care of our daughter. Having her to look after, keeping my promise to Oliver to keep her safe, that’s what keeps me going. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have her...”

Felicity trails off, not wanting to let her thoughts, or her words, go to such a dark place. Instead, she asks, “Do you want to meet Mia?”

Having only officially introduced Mia to one person, she’s excited to share her baby with another loved one. Mia, her little ball of light and happiness, should be surrounded by friends and family. And one day, she’s going to make sure of just that. But for now, Felicity is eager to introduce her to her Aunt Lyla.

“Absolutely,” Lyla smiles. Felicity appreciates Lyla not pushing her to talk anymore about how she’s doing, and stands to lead her friend to the nursery.

_ Or should she be Godmother Lyla?  _ Felicity muses as they walk down the hall. Another thing she and Oliver thought they would have time to figure out.  _ And we still will, I’ll make sure of it, _ she resolves.

The two women enter the green room and peer over the edge of the crib. Mia, who must have woken up within the last few minutes, is surprisingly calm; staring up at her elephant mobile and gurgling softly.

“Hi, Mia-bear,” Felicity coos, and reaches down to pick up the baby, who grins widely at her mother, batting her fists in excitement. “There’s someone special here to meet you, baby.”

Felicity adjusts the baby in her arms to face Lyla, who beams down at her. “Mia, this is you Aunt Lyla. She’s actually the reason I able to stay sane while you grew inside me! You sure loved to kick up a storm and make me sick, I don’t know how I how I would have survived without her ginger chews.”

“It’s good to meet you Mia, and it was my pleasure, Felicity,” Lyla plays along good-naturedly, giving the baby’s hand a tiny shake. “Oh, she’s adorable, Felicity. She’s a perfect mixture of you and Oliver.”

“That’s what my mother said, too,” Felicity smiles, placing a soft kiss on her daughter’s head.

“Felicity, where  _ is _ your mom?” Lyla asks suddenly, seemingly only just realizing that there is one less Smoak around than expected.

“Oh, she’s out shopping,” Felicity rolls her eyes, “Again. Apparently Mia doesn’t - and I quote - have enough pinks and purples in her wardrobe,” she repeats her mother’s earlier sentiments with a ‘what am I supposed to do with that’ flick of her hand. She loves her mother’s enthusiasm and she definitely identifies with wanting to dress her baby in all kinds of cute outfits, but she really could care less about making sure her daughter is dressed in ‘feminine’ or ‘seasonal’ colors. She actually quite prefers her in green, not surprisingly.

Lyla chuckles. “Don’t worry, I’ve brought you some blues and greens that will balance out her closet for you. They’re in the bag over by the couch.” Felicity grins gleefully, excited to see what she’s sure will be more sensible pieces than whatever her mom picks out, and hands the baby over to Lyla so that she can make her way over to the baby clothes more quickly. Lyla takes Mia happily and follows her back into the living room.

Felicity digs into the package eagerly and, once Lyla makes it into the room, holds up some of her favorites against Mia to get a sense of if they will fit her. “Aww, these were JJ’s? I can’t believe he was ever that small!” She recognizes some of the pieces that she had bought for him herself and finds herself reveling in the memories from that time in their lives. It all seems so long ago. To think how far she and Oliver had come in the five short years since then...

“I know…,” Lyla looks at her son’s baby clothes fondly, ”And yet, it seems like just yesterday you were visiting me in the hospital room.” Felicity hums in agreement as she continues to rifle through the bag, sorting the clothing into piles according to size.

“You know, Oliver once told me,” Lyla relates, leading Felicity to look up at the mention of her husband’s name, “that seeing you with our baby, that’s what made him realize he wanted everything - a family, children - with you. Looks like he finally got it.”

“That’s funny,” Felicity scoffs, “seeing as he broke up with me not seconds after we visited you that day - right there in the hospital hallway!”

Lyla raises her eyes in surprise; she must not have known that little detail. 

“Oh, yes,” Felicity elaborates, “He kissed me, more or less told me loved me, and then broke my heart. Your daddy was an idiot, Mia.” She bops the baby on the nose, earning a gummy smile in response.

“Well, he figured it out eventually, didn’t he?” Lyla points out.

“Yeah…,” Felicity sighs. She knows Lyla is trying to cheer her up, but it only makes her realize yet again how bittersweet it all is. “He finally got everything he deserved, we were  _ happy _ , and then the fracking Monitor showed up and swept it all out from under our feet. Boy, when I find him, he’ll be getting a piece of my mind, that's for sure.”

This time Felicity  _ knows _ she’s not imagining it when Lyla looks odd, as if there’s something she wishes she could share but is trying to hide.

“Lyla.” Felicity is just  _ done _ with waiting around for whatever crisis is supposedly going to take place. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Lyla just stands there for a moment, obviously debating what she should say. Felicity walks up to the older woman angrily and takes Mia back into her arms.

“Remember how I can hack ARGUS, even while sleep deprived?” Felicity’s tries not to raise her voice too loudly as not to startle the baby, but isn’t sure she’s succeeding. “I’m already closing in on the Monitor’s location and discovering all sorts of things that he’s done in the past. Whatever it is you’re hiding, I  _ will _ find it, whether you tell me or not,” she threatens.

Felicity sees the moment Lyla gives in, letting out a deep sigh. She is aware that no one could force Lyla Michaels to do anything she doesn’t want, so either her friendship with Felicity means enough to her for her to finally share what she knows, or else there’s something bigger at play.

“It’s a long story...but I know the Monitor,” Lyla starts, “Have for several years, actually. And I know what you’re going through is unbearably painful but you have to understand...he’s not the bad guy here. He’s trying to _ save _ the multiverse from destruction, and he needs Oliver to do it. I-”

“-Hold up just one minute,” Felicity interrupts, her grip on Mia the only thing grounding her right now, “Are you telling me you know how to  _ contact _ him?”

“Well, he normally contacts me,” Lyla admits, “but I do have an idea-”

“-Ok, then,” Felicity cuts her off again, “I”m going to need you to tell me everything you know, Lyla. Hong Kong can wait a few hours - now, sit down please, and start at the beginning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously our girl is keeping tabs on the Monitor and there's no way she doesn't figure out Lyla's connection to him. I love the idea of Lyla and Felicity working together on this one.  
> Nothing in the comics that just came out confirmed or denied what Felicity did or did not know previously, but we know our girl - she knows everything!  
> See you soon with the next installment!  
> As always, would love to hear what you thought in the comments!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Would love to hear your thoughts.
> 
> The plan is to have each chapter focus on a different visitor - I have a few ideas for characters I'd like to feature, let me know who you'd like to see!


End file.
